Paper storage and manifolding device



Dec. 29, 1953 N. c. sHELLMAN PAPER STORAGE AND MANIFOLDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 29, 1950 .incre-ECC INVENTOR. BYa//m/y le/// Dec. 29, 1953 N. c. sHELLMAN 2,664,205

PAPER STORAGE AND MANIFOLDING DEVICE Filed July 29, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g 3 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFEI 2,664,205 y PAPER STORAGE AND MANIFOLDING DEVICE` Norman Shellman, Wilmette, Ill.y .l Application July 29, 1950,l SeralNo.` 176,709

zoiaiiiil (ci. zii-55)' l This invention relates to certain new and usem ful improvements in a paper storage and man1- folding device especially constructed and designed for storing sheet paper in a manner such that the storing, removingand manifolding of the sheets maybe accomplished with the mini-v drawer of the desk ldivided forv that purpose.

In order to manifold such sheets, she is required to remove the sheets individually and assemble them in proper registration with respect to each other before placing themanifolded or assembled sheets in the typewriter. Generally a large area of the surface of the desk Vis required to gather the sheets in alignment and then they must be carefully picked up and tamped along their edges and transferred to the typewriter. Fre,- quently the sheets shift. or slip and have to be realigned by repeating the'above process. the use of my device af'stenographer or other person may accomplishV this manifolding of the sheets quickly and easily and without slipping, soiling or otherwise marring such sheets. My device is of such a size as permits thev same to `be placed within convenientI reach upon the` desk or typewriter table.

Another object of this invention. is to provide.

a device of this character by. which the sheets of paper with carbon sheets therebetween may' be automatically placed. in alignment or registration with respect to; each other during the manifolding operation'of such vsheets'and when the required numberof sheets are manifolded or assembled' a positive and natural means of,k

grasping and transferring the sheets to the type'- writer is provided.` e Y e Other objects will' appear hereinafter.

This invention consists in: the `novel combinaj tion and arrangement of par-ts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The inventienfwiii be. beet understood by rei. Y

erence to the accompanying drawings showing: the preferred form of. construction,vv and in which:

Fig. 1- is a perspective viewl ofthe invention;l

Fig. 2vis-a side elevational view with asec--v tion of a side wall removed to show the' in#vv terior of the device;

Fig. 3 is a, sectional detail view takenk sube" 'stantiallyon line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the storage ycompartment shelves embodied in the in?- vention;

Fig. 5 is perspective view of a sheet limiting member embodied in the invention Fig. 6 is a sectional detail: view illustrating the invention in a modified form; f

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional detail `View `taken substantially online I-'I of Fig. 6; and view taken substan- Fig. 8 is a fragmentary tially on line 8 8 of Fig. 6; Y The several objects of this invention arev accomplished by the preferred form.y of construe tion shown in the accompanying drawings andv now to -bespecically described. The. sheetpaper storagek and manifo'lding device ernbodyingfmy invention comprises a struc-` 'ture includingfside walls II and a rear wall I2 preferably Iormed of such material as will best serve the purpose such, for example, thermoplastic material or-the like, with the walls Il and I2 integrally connected or formed together;4

Between the side walls II, with corresponding* end portions` I 3 extending beyond the curved-` edgeA portion I 4 of the side walls II in stepped formation and arranged in parallel `spacedre- A lation with respect to each other are shelves" l5. These vshelves I5` together with the side and rear Walls II and I2 'provide storage compartments I5' open at one end. The shelvesv I5 each' havel an upwardly and outwardly extending end portion I6 which facilitates feathering" the'l sheets of paper arrangedl in the storage compartments.r` Such an arrangement also facili-y tates quick separation ofitne sheets of paper during the manifolding.` operation.

ExtendingufromA the wall'l2 either as van integral or separatepart, thereof, as may best-r Suit thev purpose, isa block( |1 of step fowl-ation.;y

to provide supportingledges I8 for the inner end portions I9 of the shelves I5. Formed lin` each of the sidel walls I-I is; a re"- cesssorvoffset I9" into which lateral" mounting lugs 20, formed'. on the shelves I5, project. Ar-'u- -ranged between lthese-lugs 20 and serving' to ksupport the shelves I5 inf spaced relation withl respectfto each-other are spacer'blocks 3l.

To securthe sh'elvesjI5 'inspaced relation withv respect tofeach othera screwl 22l "isf projected through each set of spacer blocks and thread# ed asf'atf23` in'tothe wall II. Embracing this screw and held thereon by the head of the screw is a resilient foot 24 which serves to prevent marring of the surface upon which the device is mounted. By threading the screw into the wall Il the lugs 20 of the shelves l5 are securely clamped in place.

Each shelf in its forwardly extending portion provides a linger aperture 25 which permits the fingers to have access to the sheets of paper in the storage compartment.

The manifolding and aligning or registering of the sheets of paper takes place upon a top plate 26 disposed in spaced relation with the uppermost of the shelves l and preferably inclined rearwardly or toward the wall l2 so that sheets of paper placed upon this top wall willgravitate into registration with respect to each other and thereby be self-aligning. The top edges Il' and l2' of the side and rear walls Il and I2 respectively extend a predetermined distance above the top surface of the plate 26 and serve to retain the sheets of paper upon the plate 26 during the manifolding and registering operation.

To assist in the quick and convenient removal of the manifolded sheets from the top plate 26 I provide thumb apertures 21 in the side walls li and the top plate 26. These apertures are designed in such a way as to direct the thumb of each hand in an upward and rearward direction which completes the alignment of the sheets along their side edges, and at the same time lifts the assembled sheets from the top plate 2S. This action provides a natural and positive grip of the sheets between the thumbs and fingers at a point where the sheets are balanced in the hands and can not easily slip out of alignment as they are transferred to the typewriter.

An arrangement is provided whereby the rearward positioning of the sheets of paper on the manifolding plate 26 is limited according to the length of the sheets. In the preferred form of construction I provide in the top plate 23 one or more slots 28 which register with slots 29 formed in the shelves.

A shank 30 is adapted to project through the slots 2s and 29 and thereby limit the storage compartments to the storage of sheets of a predetermined length. This shank 30 terminates in a cross head 3| which serves to limit the positionlng of sheets of a predetermined length upon the plate 26.

As a modified form of construction for the above purpose there may be provided an elongated shaft 32 which projects through registered openings formed in the shelves I5 and thereby serves the purpose of the shank 3U. This shaft 32 is provided as an integral part of a finger button 33 by which it is conveniently manipulated.

The manifolding shelf or top 26 and the storage compartment are rectangular in plan view to conform to the shape of the sheets of paper, however', the side walls Il and i2 may be given a streamlined effect and may be provided with ribs and headings for purposes of appearance and reinforcing.

In Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive I have shown a modied form of construction. In this form of construction there is provided at the inner end of the bottom plate or shelf 34 an upwardly extendlng wall 35 substantially V shape in cross section to provide an inclined wall portion 35. To this wall portion 36 is hinged at 31 each of the shelves 38 of a construction substantially the same as the shelves l5.

An enclosure body 39 is provided including a 4 manifolding table 39 having thumb apertures 40 substantially similar to the plate 26 and thumb apertures 21 respectively of the form of my invention shown in Fig. 1.

This body is hinged as at 4| to the adjacent edge of the plate 34. At the opposite or outer end of the plate 34 is provided a snap structure 35' for releasably latching the enclosing body 39' in place over the shelves.

The outer or front end portions of the shelves are spaced from each other by upstanding spaced studs 42 carried by each shelf.

To complete this form of construction adjustable parts or ngers 43 are sldably carried by each shelf to properly locate the sheets in the compartments 44 according to the length of the sheet and to position the outer ends of the paper sheets upon the upturned ends 45 of the shelves in position for ready access by the user.

The device may be formed of such material as will best serve the purpose.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided a device which will be highly efficient for manifolding sheet paper and one which will solve many of the diilicult problems of a typist or stenographer which nor-- mally reside in the manifolding operation.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from thespirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construe-- tion set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for the purpose described comprising an enclosure having connected bottom and side walls, a cover comprising an integral topand rear wall hinged to one end portion of the. bottom wall to dispose said top wall a predetermined distance below the top edges of the side walls, said bottom wall at its one end portion ad jacent the hinge connection extending upwardly parallel to said rear wall and bent back upon. itself to provide an inclined wall with respect to= said. bottom wall within said enclosure, a plurality: of superimposed shelves arranged between said` side walls in parallel relation with respect t0 each. other and having corresponding outer end portions extending upwardly and outwardly beyond; Said top and side walls, the opposite end portions of said shelves being hinged at predetermined spaced apart points to said inclined wall to dispose said exposed ends thereof in step relation with respect to each other, and means carried by said shelves for limiting the distance of projection of sheets of paper thereon within said enclosure.

2. A device for the purpose described comprising an enclosure having connected bottom and side walls, a cover comprising an integral top and rear wall hinged to one end portion of the bottom wall to dispose said top wall a predetermined distance below the top edges of the side walls, said bottom wall at its one end portion adjacent the hinge connection extending upwardly parallel to said rear wall and bent back upon itself to provide an inclined wall with respect to said bottom wall within said enclosure, a plurality of superimposed shelves arranged between said side walls in parallel relation with respect to each other and having corresponding outer end portions extending upwardly and outwardly beyond said top and side Walls, the opposite end portions of said shelves being hinged at predetermined spaced apart points to said inclined Wall to dispose said exposed ends thereof in step relation with respect to each other, and means carried by said shelves for limiting the distance of projection of sheets of paper thereon Within said enclosure, said last-named means comprising upwardly extending fingers slidably arranged in slots formed in said shelves adjacent their hinged connections to said inclined wall.

NORMAN C. SHELLMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Dorsey Mar. 24, 1908 Manley July 7, 1925 Campbell Mar. 23, 1926 Wilson Feb. 19, 1929 Heileman Sept. 3, 1929 Liebendorfer May 3l, 1932 Fraser July 19, 1932 Bales Dec. 6, 1932 Fraser Mar. 20, 1934 Gillette Aug. 25, 1936 Low Mar. 26, 1940 Thorn et al Mar. 10, 1942 

